Getting married is an important step in a person’s life. This brings major changes in the rules related to their Employees Provident Fund (EPF) member account, the way the account works and the nomination. According to the EPF Scheme 2026, it is necessary for the members to give a new nomination after marriage, because any old nomination made before marriage will become invalid. Also, contrary to popular belief, the rules do not make it mandatory for an EPF member to nominate his/her spouse. Family members can nominate one or more eligible family members as specified in the Code on Social Security, 2020.
New nomination after marriage
EPF Scheme 2026 mandates that members update their nomination details after marriage so that settlement of EPF benefits can be done easily. Since the spouse is an eligible nominee, the member can nominate one or more eligible family members of his choice. Any nomination made under the old EPF Scheme 1952 will also be invalid if it is not in accordance with the provisions of the EPF Scheme 2026.
Such are the rules of EPF
| Rule | What does it mean |
| Any nomination made before marriage | Will be invalid. |
| new nomination | mandatory after marriage |
| nomination of spouse | not mandatory |
| Who can be nominated? | One or more eligible family members |
| member without family | Can nominate any person till the family is formed |
Who can be nominated under EPF Scheme 2026?
The EPF Scheme 2026 follows the definition of family given in the Code on Social Security, 2020. Eligible family members include:
- life partner
- minor legitimate or adopted children
- Children dependent on member’s earnings and receiving education up to the age of 21 years
- unmarried daughters
- Children with illness or disability who are completely dependent on the member
- Dependent parents, including father-in-law and mother-in-law of the female employee, provided they are within the prescribed income limit
- Dependent minor siblings in some cases, where the member is unmarried and the parents are not alive
Why is it important to update your EPF nomination?
EPF nomination is a very important step. It decides that if the member dies before receiving the EPF money or before the last payment is made, then who will get the amount deposited in his name. Therefore, it is important for all members to check and update their nominee details from time to time, so that in case of any untoward incident, benefits can be easily transferred. If a member chooses more than one nominee from the list mentioned above, he can also decide the share of each nominee in the total provident fund amount.
What about those members who do not have family?
Members who do not have family can make any person of their choice a nominee. However, on marriage, they will have to submit a fresh nomination in favor of eligible family members.
This can also help in bringing much needed clarity to the case of those who do not have family. Here the aim of EPFO is to provide all possible help to the person, respect his wish and give him an opportunity to nominate the person of his choice.
Keeping EPF nomination updated after important life events like marriage ensures smooth transfer of benefits and reduces the risk of delays or disputes during claim settlement.
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